Fender 9 Neck Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

For over 10 years, I've been casually searching for just the right Telecaster. I've tested out many over the years (new and used), and with the wide variety of neck styles on different models and series, I just never found the right one. When Fender announced this 70th Anniversary Broadcaster earlier this year, something told me this might finally be the one. So I decided to roll the dice and order one from MF without first playing one and I'm thrilled to report that it not only met but also exceeded all of my expectations. I was most concerned about the U-shaped neck – not being a fan of so-called "baseball bats" of the early 1950s. It's just slightly more chunky than a modern Tele, but it's extremely comfortable and it only took me about a day to get completely comfortable with it. Now I absolutely love it. The action is perfect and there's no buzzing whatsoever up and down the neck. The Custom Shop Blackguard pick-ups sound fantastic. They are super-hot and give that classic Tele tone. Before playing it, I was a little disappointed that Fender decided to include the wiring kit to duplicate the original Broadcaster blending-mode as a user-installed option instead of wiring it this way at the factory, but after hearing these pick-ups the way they are, I won't be re-wiring it anytime soon. I had mixed emotions about the lacquer finish with the see-through wood grain when looking at the photos online, but in person the guitar looks fantastic. My only reservation is that the lacquer makes the back of the neck a little tacky but over time this should work itself out. I've already noticed that after a week of playing it has already improved. One other thing about this guitar that still amazes me is the weight. It is perfect – not too light and also not a boat anchor hanging around your neck. I also love the custom American-made G&G deluxe tweed case. Do yourself a favor and order this guitar while you still can!Lou Z.

I bought this in order to not duplicate what I left behind during a 3000 mile move last month, after doing enough research to learn that an Esquire is significantly different from a Telecaster. Indeed, this guitars sounds quite different, and in my view can stand in for a Gretsch but with better feel. The chunky neck is vintage and not 70's style as some have stated. I have tiny hands so was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it feels up and down the neck. Not slippery at all either. The natural finish is darker than in the photos, but it's still nice to see pine grain. Heavier shellac than I expected, but it sounds great. Not as much tonal range as other Fenders, but I didn't buy it for that. I'm going to try all-nickel strings when I get it set up, for an even more vintage sound, but it's great with the Fender nickel plated steel strings.mhschmieder

I finally have a Telecaster, and not just any Tele, but possibly the nicest one I've come across. I absolutely LOVE the color scheme (though I wouldn't mind a slightly lighter colored fret board – rosewood or pau ferro)! Everything about this guitar screams quality and attention to detail. It plays well and sounds fantastic! I have a Gibson SG, Epiphone Sheraton, Fender Jazzmaster, and now this Tele Ultra and so far, I think this is the best sounding guitar out of the bunch. It's certainly the best playing and best feeling out of all of them. The Jazzmaster is close, but this Tele simply kills it! Don't sleep on this one, folks.Devin R.

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I love this neck, so beautiful and you can still smell the lacquer coming off of the neck when you first open it. I cant wait to put it on my David Gilmour Stratocaster definitely satisfied!devijohn5

Ho acquistato questo manico fender per customizzare una fender Squirer a cui ho cambiato praticamente tutto , chiavette, pickup , ponte , circuito elettronico. Ho realizzato una chitarra custom shop con una spesa contenuta. Il manico Fender America Original da un feeling al tocco che rende molto suonabile la mia chitarra con un retrogusto anni 60 .. eccezionale , materiali, estetica scorrevolezza , feeling al tatto che ti fanno suonare come negli anni 60/70.Consigliatissimo a chi vuole dare uno stile custom vintage alla propria Fender .. grazie a StrumentiMusicali.net ottimo imballaggio , arrivata in pochi giorni , felice .. viva la musica … Antonio da CataniaDomenico Carbonio

I’ve bought this for a guitar building project, on inspection it is exactly what I wanted! Delivered quickly and packed very well with almost no plastic ( just two small blocks of styrene)!Christopher

Finally… an actual soft V that is period correct unlike those that are on the Roadworn Series and Classic Player strats. I mean those necks are O.K… and somewhat period correct (albeit they are awfully small) but this neck is great. If you like a smaller neck then this neck is not for you. On the other if you like the feel of a neck that fits just right in your large hands then this neck is for you. The other nice thing about this neck is that even though it's period correct, it didn't stop Fender from bumping the radius up (9.5) for faster lead lines and zero fret out. Good job FENDER on this neck and the American Original 50's and 60's Stratocasters. Lastly, I would love to see all of these necks and Stratocasters made in Mexico at a more affordable price point. I mean…seven hundred for just the neck (and it was six)… IMHO, this is WAY to high for most people (at least it is for me, a working musician) to afford…so I only gave it four stars because of this. Still, all in all I have to say…this is a great neck and the american original strat is a great series of guitars.foxxguitars

Great buying experience! CME does a tremendous job checking the guitar over and making sure it’s totally right. This Fender short run exclusive was exactly what I was looking for! It does what a Jazzmaster is supposed to do … once you take the time to dial in your setup! The setup is a bit tricky for sure because everything has to be balanced and intonated just so to prevent the strings from buzzing on the adjustment screws OR on the bridge itself. It also helps to have the absolute tiniest amount of relief possible in the neck and to raise the bridge and angle it to the sweet spot for ideal string vibration and a high enough break angle to anchor the strings within the slots. Once you do these things and set the pickup height, the guitar truly sings, rocks, plays great, and stays completely in tune, even with serious tremolo arm use! My pickups are set to spec: 3.5 mm on the bass side and 3.2 mm on the treble side. If you aren’t comfortable doing a detailed setup, be prepared to locate a professional. I have set up MANY Fenders so I was able to do it myself in a couple hours of tinkering. The 65 pickups sound amazing! Cleans are shimmery and huge. Dirty sounds are fat and ringing. Perfect for indie and shoegaze styles. You can also roll off the tone for a darker, blues or jazz lead tone and, unlike the original jazzmaster bridge, the strings will stay PUT and allow you to pick hard and bend as much as you like even with 9 gauge. No need for a rhythm circuit in my opinion. This wiring setup keeps it simple, lowers the cost, and still gives you the full Jazzmaster experience. Buy one before they are gone! Love it!Joseph

Mine arrived looking beautiful but had a lot of hum/noise and I figured it had something to do with the pickups or 1 meg pots. I opened it up to shield it and the bridge ground wire was never soldered to the ground wire on the pot. After soldering it I plugged it back in and it was silent. I went from thinking it was ok to being my favorite guitar at the moment. This guitar looks, sounds and plays great and its priced very low too. It nails that classic Jazzmaster tone and does what a Jazzmaster should do. Before you jump into the Jazzmaster pool understand that these guitars require tinkering with. Saddle rattle can be fixed by adjusting the screws on the saddles. They tend to loosen and tighten when changing strings and if they're even slightly uneven they will rattle. Another way to fix this is to shim the neck so there's a slight backbow to it like a Les Paul. This will increase the break angle and put more pressure on the bridge preventing rattle. Using 11's or 12's helps too but the nut on these ones is perfect for 10-46. The 4th position is actually very usable and I find myself using this position more than I thought I would. This is a great guitar at a great price and CME is the gold standard in online purchases. Besides the ground wire mine came set up perfectly and almost in tune. The ground wire was never even tinned so I know it was never attached but again, it took me 5 minutes and 0 dollars to fix. I'm sure had I complained they would have fixed it for me. I bought the Silver Blue Metallic. The Shell Pink was definitely my favorite color but I wasn't secure enough to buy a pink guitar.john g.

I just received this guitar today. There is a lot of negative talk about the noiseless pickups, but it sounds phenomenal to me. Many complaints include that it sounds too "dark", but it sounds terrific through my 1966 Bassman. There is a tremendous range of fantastic tones that are possible with this guitar, but it is definitely not for metal. It gets a great tone for classic rock, alt rock/indie, jazz, funk, and stoner rock. I've gotten a great Gilmour tone to Hendrix to QOTSA, and it honestly doesn't take long to learn the guitar's wide tonal capabilities. The neck plays so well that I found myself inspired to get into new sonic territories and genres. I own a lot of guitars, and this is my favorite one currently. It's my pick over my Les Paul Traditional, Telecaster, Ibanez S Premium, and the others. Do yourself a fiver and try it out with an open mind. Don't listen to the naysayers. This thing rocks!The Hammer

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

Nice neck but its very thin. Bought it because I like the Classic Series 50s tele neck. They are totally different. Not crazy about the color either. It looks very orange (more than any other neck Ive seen).Matt

Absolutely love this neck. Completely exceeded my expectations. Great quality and the color is outstanding. Highly recommendlia_wagne

One of the best necks Fender has come out with in a long time! Super comfortable soft V shape, 21 vintage style frets, and a 7.25 radius! Awesome!! Well done Fender!!!garygto54

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

I got this neck to replace the one I had on my Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster (in Metallic Purple with Maple Fretboard). This telecaster has a Maple neck with a normal C shape and felt really unrefined for a "Fender" neck. I decided to get this Fender Telecaster Standard Replacement Neck with a Modern C shape neck. This new actual Fender neck was a drastic change in quality and performance. Here's just a quick Pros and Con of this product. PROS: Real Fender Product – Because this is an official Fender product, the neck replacement on my Squier was seamless and very simple. Modern C – Makes a better feeling guitar when playing compared to the normal C shape neck. Satin Neck Finish on back – The neck is very smooth feeling when playing. The finish on the back of the neck doesn't get in the way of you playing fast. This helps if you have sweaty hands when playing. Gloss fretboard – This makes a difference because if doesn't feel like your fingers are sticking to the fretboard. Medium Jumbo Frets – Just feels nice when moving around the fretboard. Bending strings feel nicer than my old Squier frets. Pre Drilled Holes for Tuners – I already had Fender locking tuners. So it was a simple swap with no mods needed. CONS: Nut not slotted – I don't understand why the NUT isn't slotted at least for common string size. It is very slightly to get you started but you would need a file. I just used the low E strong and used it like a file but it didn't come out too well and I've had to buy a new nut that comes preslotted. No predrilled String tree hold – This really wasn't too much of a problem but it's scary if you get it wrong. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase after two weeks of everyday playing with it. This was a much needed upgrade from my Squier telecaster neck I had.C. Barona

this is my 4th roasted neck and I can't recommend them enough. especially if you live on or near the water. I can pull out my strat or tele after not playing them for a few days and they are right in tune look at the quality that is put into them and you'd agree. when screwed to a sunburst or pastel colored body they just really enhance the look of your instrument. the cost of the roasted neck is something you gotta think about like do you really want to spend that kinda Ching on a neck? hell you can buy a standard neck for less or even buy an after market neck and play the same its all about the stability of the wood that closed the deal for me. dig down deep in yer pocket and pony up the Ching for one of these I'm pretty sure you be pleased you did. I have them mounted to Mexican fenders and American fenders all have mated up perfect and very little fret work was needed this is my experience with these necks and you will find the same. in short I dig mine and will in the future will only use these beautiesho-joe56

perfect fitment into a MIM fender body. finish was flawless and the dark maple is beautiful. mistake made on my part, not fender….. the roasted maple has so much less give than standard maple. I should have thought about that with all of the moisture being removed from the wood. I used fender press fit tuner bushings and installed them with a C-clamp as I always have. I heard the headstock crack as I was installing the D string bushing and my heart sank. Luckily, I was able to inject some wood glue and clamp it overnight to close it up, but I reamed out the G tuner bushing and learned my lesson. use care when installing the tuner bushings on anything roasted as the fibers in the wood simply will not compress the same way another neck would.Grey

Overall: The YJM guitars are near exceptional and the scalloped board plays like a dream and the craftsmanship is a solid 9 out of 10. It screams and is very well built. There are things I love and things that can be improved. For issues I will explain below on how to fix them!Pros:- Super fast playing neck- Perfect scallop work- New and improved brass nut that is shiny and not clunky like the old one- The contours are nice and the guitar is very comfy to hold- Has the screaming signature YJM sound- The body color being cream is beautiful compared to the older models- Built in strap locks- Comes with a YJM leopard print strap- Tweed case is gorgeousCons:- The tremolo is problematic for a few reasons – The string spacing is on the wide side 2 7/32" which causes high e slips constantly. – The guitar due to the tight 9.5" radius will fret out if you bend up two whole steps unless the action is pretty high. YJM likes his action high- The pickups do not have much gain- You can see tooling marks left behind by the crowing file- The neck is a really white maple neck which is unappealing vs the old models it was an amber yellow which makes more sense when going with a vintage look- Fender tuners are vintage and for me they are not that great. Because they are vintage you will need to drill the head stock if you want to replace with locking tuners. If you do go that route make sure you observe the diameter so you do not have to drill them larger- The string tree is metal and you can hear it making noise when using the trem which sounds like when you pluck a string near the tuner. I replaced mine with a composite one- 21 Frets but I knew that going inHow to fix the bridge issue: – I went and purchased a Callaham VN bridge kit and it's a direct drop in but with 2 1/16" spacing. This dramatically reduced the high e string slips. This also fixed the fret outs as well! The issue is the YJM features a modern nut and spacing with a vintage bridge. You could also loosen the strings, loosen the neck plate screws and realign the neck but unless you change the bridge you are going to have high e slips. Weak gain on the pickups:- YJM used to use a DOD pedal until he went his signature YJM208 and when you dial it in correctly you will get a near perfect YJM sound. – Alternatively if you have AxeFx and I have an AxeFxXLII+ all you need to do is place the tube screamer right before your amp block and dial up the tone on it. I was shocked how close it sounded to my real YJM pedal. You could also omit the tube screamer amp block in the AxeFx and actually run your YJM308 pedal from your guitar into the AxeFx. Overall it's an awesome guitar and I wouldn't even think of returning it or selling it. It really is a job to play and you will be spoiled with a scalloped neck!Joseph

Sound: This guitar is very expressive. The pickups are clear and bell like on clean, and retain this aspect even with distortion. Chords are not muddy, easy to tell individual notes. Plenty of sustain, and the body reverberates well. To me this guitar just sounds so great, I'm having a hard time going back to my other guitars. Features: Features of this guitar are perfect for a Fender. Vintage bridge works well, pickups sound amazing, fret finish is good. Very comfortable neck profile. Ease of Use: There is a slight learning curve with this guitar because of the scalloped fret board. But the neck profile is great. I've been primarily an Ibanez player, plating jem and other wizard necks. I did not find the profile hard to get used to and I am able to switch back and forth easily. After you get used to the scallops and the benefits of them, its hard to go back to a normal neck! the scallops just make bending and vibrato so much more easy and expressive. You really have extreme control of the strings. The neck is not as wide as Ibanez necks though, and if you are used to having a few millimeters of thickness extra next to the high and low E strings to prevent slippage, you will not have this. I did have to adjust my playing to prevent the high E from slipping, because this will happen if your vibrato is wide, pulling the string towards the outside of the neck. This can easily be adjusted in my case. I rarely have an issue with string slippage now and do not have to think about it. Quality: Although the guitar is really well made. I do have to disclose a few issues. When I received the guitar, the neck was not aligned. This made the high E string easily, VERY easily slip off. So the first thing I had to do was look at the center fret dots and loosen the bolts on the neck and straighten the neck up. (There are YouTube videos explaining this very issue and how to do this if you need them) And this problem could easily be seen IN the pictures before the guitar was sent to me, so this did not happen in shipping I believe. Also I noticed right where the neck pocket and body meet, there was a extremely small gap between the paint and wood. Almost as if the paint did not adhere to the wood well, almost like a bubble in the paint. So me, being like an inquisitive idiot, pushed the paint there. And that put a hairline crack in the paint in that area. So not extremely happy about that, but to me this guitar is a player, and I'm not actually worried about minor cosmetic details at this price point. I guess I'll just be starting on the natural relic process of this guitar early. 🙂 I must also disclose that the inside of the spring cavity is painted, but you can tell it was horribly finished inside as far as smoothness and saw dust under paint there. But this is normal on many guitars and something I'm okay with at this price point. I still think that a guitar over one thousand dollars should be cleaned up a little more. Especially American made. Intonation is still perfect out of the box, and after neck alignment and re string. Fret finishing is good, neck is very comfortable and smooth with rolled edges. Nitrocellulose lacquer can get a bit tacky if your hands are getting warm or sweaty, but it is easy to adjust and clean. The neck did really well with this winters hot to cold temperatures with the heat on. No fret popping out on the sides. Just a good and stable neck so far. Value: I think this guitar, despite the above mentioned quality control issues, is great for the price compared to other American made Fenders. And the added features, like scalloping on the neck are a bonus value above your typical Fender. Guitar strap that came with it is high quality, but I am not using it because it will not adjust small enough for me, and I prefer the guitar riding a little higher. The tweed fender case that it comes with is beautiful. Manufacturer Support: I have not dealt with the company/ manufacturer of the instrument. The Wow Factor: This is a great looking, classic Fender with amazing sound from the YJM pickups, and lots of extras. I wish they would do these in a few more colors. Overall: I have been an Ibanez JEM and RG player for years. I have installed push pull coil splits on an RG just to try to get a more strat like sound. Also being an Yngwie fan, I really loved the sound and tone he was getting from his Fender. I toyed with getting a different strat and possibly switching pickups and modifying it. But the Yngwie strat ticked all the right boxes already. And I was very curious about scalloped frets, and had read about all the supposed benefits. So I went for it, bought one here, am very happy with the purchase. The guitar is very easy to play. Neck shape is just right, not to fat, not too thin, with a smaller width than most Ibanez necks which is fine with my hands. (cursed with shorter fingers!!) The scallops take some getting used to, but after you do, you'll see that bending and vibrato are amazingly easy and exJustin

Having a couple guitars I was curious about the short scale. Came across a Mustang P90 in surf green with maple fret in the open box section. Awesome deal , guitar is a joy to play. Sounds great clean or with overdrive. What an fantastic bang for the buck fun. Fun to play blues , metal , punk thrash…etc Cannot say enough good things about this guitar.Michael P

Overall: I can't believe there aren't any reviews of this guitar yet!I have the Burgundy Mist version of this with the pao ferro fretboard which, sadly, zZounds no longer carries. It's pretty, really pretty, and it exudes a seriously vintage vibe. (I saw an antique Burgundy Mist Chevrolet last week and I immediately thought of my feisty little Fender.)The hardware; bridge & tuners, is your standard MiM Fender quality. They're more than up to the task. The Strat-style bridge makes this an easy guitar to keep in tune. (I once had a 1978 Mustang and keeping it in tune was a nightmare that not even Edgar Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft could imagine.)The MP-90 pickups are capable of so much that it I could fill a whole page trying to accurately describe them. They are beefy enough to really drive a good tube amp. (My main amps are a Marshall DSL1 and Vox AC4-C112.) On a clean setting the neck pickup on its' own isn't particularly impressive, kinda dark, but the middle and bridge positions are really versatile if you tweak the volume and tone controls.With distortion, in my case a Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion (it's more of a gargantuan fuzz than a distortion pedal), all three positions sings with a tone that would make Leslie West smile broadly.I'm not a big guy (5'9", 150 lbs) so the small offset body and short scale neck are really comfortable.There is only one real drawback to this marvelous axe but it's something that shouldn't for even a second dissuade anyone from adding this guitar to their guitarsenal, and that's the pickup selector switch. It's junk. It cuts out and is rather staticky (is that a word?). It's a cheap piece of junk but it usually works so I can deal with it. (And you can as well.) I'll eventually replace it but there's no need to right now.My particular specimen had a truly beautifully grained pao ferro fretboard, with the frets being smooth and very well dressed. I love a big monstrous tone and this little wonder genuinely delivers.(Fender's prices have gone up since I bought mine but this particular axe is an absolute joy to play and for the price is still a true bargain. It loves, LOVES, full six-string power chords so if you're in a Mountain tribute band then you'll find a lot to like in this guitar.)I am first and foremost a "Telecaster guy" but I love pulling out this little dude and blasting away like Han Solo in a cantina full of Greedos.I've gone on for far too long here but it's only because I really, really like this guitar.[In my 'stars' rating I give this guy five stars in the 'manufacturer support' column because I own a bunch of Fenders and have never had a problem.]Mark

1 month review with guitar being setup professionally: Great pickups and tone and overall good sounding guitar after a proper setup, gorgeous nitro finish and paintjob. Relic effects are beautiful. The nitro finish feels thin enough for you to eventually make your own marks from repeated playing – a perfect way to tell a story and give the guitar character. Worn in neck feels amazing to play and not sticky to touch. Worth noting that the Pure Vintage 59 pickups on these don't have a reverse-wound middle pick, so there will be hum including positions 2 and 4. If you are easily annoyed with single coil hum, these pickups might not be for you. Also worth noting that these pickups do sound a bit warmer than a stock Fender Player pickups. These respond so MUCH better to high gain type of playing, all while still sounding amazing on low-gain and clean playing. Despite the pros, there are still some areas are lacking and needs improvement. The guitar had razor sharp frets along the binding that could easily cut you, meanwhile I have a $700 MIM fender player didn't have this problem straight out of the box. It's crazy to think that $700 guitar went through better QA than a $1200 guitar, but whatever, the frets are bound to be polished and worked on anyway with your initial setup regardless. CME's shipping page policies say "Every guitar gets a full inspection, as well as basic setup." Guitar came with an inspection card that had overall playability specs checked but some of it was questionable. The guitar was not playable at all out of the box despite letting it acclimate for over a day before opening BUT that is a given considering it spent time in a delivery truck trunk in freezing winter. However, it was a bit bogus how they even checked off volume output when the pickups were NOWEHERE near the appropriate height out of the box and there was BARELY any audible output on the treble side of the guitar. I highly doubt weather and temperature fluctuation will make the pickup screws spin by themselves to the degree at which the pickups came out of the box. Secondly, the tremolo springs at the back also weren't ******* in the appropriate depth for a either a floating or flushed trem setup – it was just sort of in the middle of the cavity. Weather fluctuation from their shop and may have affected string tension, but I also don't think it would make the claw springs in the back unscrew themselves to the degree the guitar came. Makes me wonder how thorough the inspection was. These might not matter as much to some especially those who will get their new guitars setup anyway, but it's good to note that you may still need to budget for a setup if you aren't doing it yourself. Although there could've been improvements on Fender and CME's part that I don't think could be blamed on external factors such as weather and climate fluctuations, overall, I would still 100% recommend this guitar, and it's a gem. The guitar played well after a proper setup, so I'm happy with it now. The price may be too expensive for some considering it's not made in USA, but it must be considered that this is the cheapest proper nitro-finish guitar you will currently find. The next best thing are Fender custom shop, so this guitar is perfect for those looking to enjoy vintage style paint/nitro body finish, and vintage specs without paying custom shop prices. The appearances are just a plus, since they sound and play amazing after a proper set up.Carlos T.

I've been playing for a little while, I rehearse with my band once/twice a week so my guitars definitely get played quite a bit, I've preferred Stratocasters from an early age. The shape is legendary and the tone is versatile. I own Chinese, Japanese, U.S. and Mexican Strats. This one is very comparable to my American Professional Stratocaster, the neck profile, the weight and intonation. Electronics are great, single coils produce a sweet twangy clean tone and the humbucker roars really nice with the right amount of gain/distortion. Makes it a very comfortable instrument that plays as easy as mantequilla on a hot tortilla. Only issue, (hence the 'almost comparable to MIA strats comment in the headline) are the frets… They are a little bit on the sharp side, I'm guessing it comes down to a player's preference? A competent luthier can dress the fret ends and make this one a real player/main axe. Other than the sharp frets, everything else is pretty solid and straight, the vatos down in Ensenada MX do great work producing these!Benjamin

So my story goes like this, I flew into Portland Oregon for work and immediately drove from the airport to Guitar Center. Upon walking in, someone was shredding on a guitar and it went on for a good 10 minutes. The guitar he was playing was the Candy Red Burst Fender Stratocaster Player Series. After he was done, I grabbed it and saw why he played it so long. It felt just solid in the hands. The strings, fret board and neck were silky smooth; Super easy to glide up and down with no fret buzz. The pickups are all Fender Player Stratocaster series which I have had no issue with and perform great out of the box. Also, just holding the guitar is a treat in the hands. It's a beautiful guitar. The Candy Red Burst has a very high functioning coat that gives a deep black fade anyway you turn it. It also fit my bill for something to remember Oregon by since the guitar is a deep Rose Red and Portland is know as the City of Roses.The Pau Ferro fingerboard is also eye candy as it has black veins that run through the grain matching the black hardware of the guitar. Other then that, I have had this guitar for 5 months as of this review and absolutely love it. The guitar holds its tune very well I enjoy playing it every time. Wait, you still reading this? Go get one already!Allan